35 Days to Daytona: #45 23XI Racing

The first hump day of the countdown brings the number down to 35 Days to Daytona. At Day 35, the #45 23XI Racing team will be on the docket to be previewed. After a successful first season with Tyler Reddick, the team will look to establish themselves in the upper tier of the Cup Series.

#45 23XI Racing

Driver: Tyler Reddick

Crew Chief: Billy Scott

Sponsors: Monster Energy, McDonalds, The Jordan Brand, MoneyLion

2024 Season Preview

Avoiding the Mistakes

For a team that flashed as much speed as the 45 team did, their average finish of 15.7 does not do well to reflect that. Tyler Reddick usually ran toward the front most weekends. However, either a driver or team error would jeopardize a good finish for the 45 car. The most notable example of this was at Michigan. When the team did not need to rush the tire change on the last pit stop, a wheel was left loose (despite the tire changer realizing it) and cost Reddick a chance at the win. In 2024, these mistakes need to be limited if Reddick and team want to win a championship.

Establishing a New Top Team

If the performance from last year is any indication, the 45 team could be one of the top teams in the Cup Series moving forward. The driver talent is there. Will the speed maintain? While the mistakes have to decrease, there is no reason to think the 45 team will regress this season. However, the team does need to put together another strong year to firmly lock their place in at the top of the charts.

Toyota Pecking Order

2024 will see Toyota have their largest fleet of cars since the days of Michael Waltrip Racing. Legacy Motor Club is making the switch the manufacturer. Not only will they be a TRD team now, but Toyota will be hands on with LMC to improve their standing. Where does that leave 23XI Racing? It is assumed that the acquisition of LMC was part of the issue with Denny Hamlin’s renegotiations. Will 23XI Racing see a dip in performance due to Legacy joining? Since 23XI is not directly working with Toyota, will this have any impact at all?

Daytona 500 Chances

Days to Daytona: #45 23XI Racing - Tyler Reddick — Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images

Tyler Reddick is another driver early in this countdown who has found little success in the Daytona 500. In his 5 starts, Reddick has yet to finish on the lead lap. He has 4 DNFs and his lone finish still saw him get caught up in a wreck. While he has 2 Top-5s in the summer race, that does little to help improve his expectations heading into the 500 this season. It does not help that he only has one other lead lap finish outside of those 2 Top-5s at the track.

Speedweeks Outlook

Tyler Reddick’s history with Daytona Speedweeks is not a pleasant one. He does not qualify overly well, his average finish in his duel race is 11.8, and he is a wrecking machine in the Daytona 500. A break from this trend would be a surprise. While Reddick surely is capable of it, it would be unwise to count on it. For Tyler Reddick fans, you might want to skip to the third race of the season.